Uttarakhand needs commissionerate system of policing: DGP

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Police chief BS Sidhu on Tuesday favoured commissionerate system of police administration, saying it gives more legal powers to the force for better law and order in the state.

"Many cities in Uttarakhand are expanding with a population influx from outside affecting its demography.

"The size of the cities is also growing. We need to adapt to this change to be able to handle the challenges on the law and order front," Sidhu said. The DGP has completed one year in office.

"A switch-over to the commissionerate system is the only answer.

"Sticking to the old system of having an SP as the head of the police force in a district will not do. We are growing in size and so are our policing needs.

"That is a problem we need to address if we want a change in the law and order scenario," he said.

Commissionerate system means transfer of magisterial powers to the police force and a better infrastructure at its disposal, he explained.

The DGP recommended the commissionerate system for the police administration throughout Uttarakhand, especially Dehradun and Haridwar, the two fastest growing cities in the state.

Sidhu said he had broached the subject to Chief Minister Harish Rawat on a number of occasions in the past and he was also in its favour but "intense lobbying by vested interests who are in favour of a status quo" has not let anything concrete happening on that front.

"However, I hope good sense finally prevails and Uttarakhand police switches over to the commissionerate system to handle the law and order problems more effectively.